Some of the top wrestlers in the nation will converge at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday as Iowa State hosts the NWCA National Duals Midwest Regional.

“We’re fortunate enough to have an athletic department that supports wrestling as strong as they do to allow us to host the NWCA National Duals,” said ISU coach Kevin Jackson. “There are several quality teams coming in.”

The Cyclones (3-12, 0-6 Big 12) will be one of six teams competing in the regional tournament and drew the No. 3 seed. With their seeding, Iowa State will face the No. 6 seed Wisconsin in the first round.

The first-round draw for the Cyclones will allow redshirt senior Andrew Sorenson to avenge the one loss on his 23-1 record from this season. Sorenson fell to the Badger’s No. 11 Ben Jordan at the Midlands Championships in December.

“The only loss I have this year is to the Wisconsin kid, so I’m looking to get a little revenge, a little payback,” Sorenson said. “It’ll be good to wrestle him again, and I’m excited.”

Other teams at Hilton will include No. 1 Iowa, No. 2 Oregon State, No. 4 Virginia Tech and No. 5 Northern Iowa. Jackson said the tough competition would help prepare the team as it moves closer to the Big 12 and NCAA Championships.

“It is a very high level of competition that will tell us the direction we’re going,” Jackson said. “I think over the last four duals, I’ve been happy with what I’ve seen out of a majority of our wrestlers and we look forward for that to continue on Sunday.”

Sorenson said the matches should help prepare the young wrestlers for the team’s final tournaments, teaching them how to stay relaxed and wrestle multiple matches in a short period of time.

For at least two wrestlers, redshirt senior Jerome Ward and redshirt junior Chris Spangler, the meet could also provide an opportunity to get back on the mat following injures.

Spangler, who sustained his fifth concussion at the Midlands, said he feels ready to go and will wrestle as many matches as Jackson and the team trainer want him to.

If Ward can go, he said he would wrestle to his full ability after being sidelined for a serious back injury.

“Sunday seems so far away, depending on how this week goes,” Ward said. “If I do get to compete, then I’m just going to go out there and wrestle with all I got.”